Mission/Employer
. . AI An artificial intelligence of some kind has a job that it needs meat bags to do. Lucky for the PCs they are the meat bags for the job. Dealing with an AI can be complicated; a physical meet is out of the question. Often the AI works over the Global DataNet or through a living proxy. • Special Rules: The AI can provide assistance during the mission such as hacking or tracking the party. It can act as an angel above them, even if all it does is tweak a few traffic lights or provide help with difficult hacking work. All hacking DCs during the mission are reduced by -2 thanks to the AI's assistance, and other assistance might be offered (or just given without consultation). However, before it can lend this aid it must be able to track the PCs, and the AI requests to put a small tracer program in everyone's TAP. It will self-delete after the mission, promise. • Considerations: If an AI is hiring someone to steal data, which likely means that it cannot get access to the data itself. Most likely this means the data is on a server that is not connected to the Global DataNet, possible even in a facility that is entirely off the grid. Another option might be for the data to be on a storage medium in the hands of a biological person, who might be the stated target while the data is the true target. • CR Adjustment: CR by -1, due to the AI's aid. Celebrity You know who they are, and if you don't they will be happy to tell you. The celebrity would rather not be involved in this whole affair, but the situation is one that they can't ignore. Most likely the cause of the mission is very personal, a feud between celebrities, a love affair, or blackmail. • Special Rules: The celebrity will want their name kept out of the whole affair and if not working through an intermediary will certainly pay out a bonus if the entire affair is done with the utmost discretion. Start negotiations for the bonus at 10% of the scale payout for the mission's CR. • Considerations: This mission needs to be done quietly, the first thing when running dark is to not let anyone know you were there to begin with. • CR Adjustment: None Corporation A corporation, most likely one of the larger than nations ones, needs something done. As these entities are so large it is unlikely that anyone other than the employer and maybe the employer's boss knows what is going on. Naturally the corporation would prefer if the PCs use discretion in this matter. Sometimes this is to keep the corporation's name out of the news feeds, other times it might be because the one division of the company is running a dark game on another. • Special Rules: The corporation has deep pockets and can fund some additional equipment or other necessary expenditures. 10% of the base pay out for the mission can be offered up front in order to cover expenses; above and beyond what the party is being paid. However, these expenses need to be justified afterwards, unspent money returned, and any gear purchased turned over. Failure to do this voids the agreement, and might result in non-payment by the employer. If the PCs think they can stiff their employer and get away with it, they haven't dealt with a corp before. • Considerations: Corporations expect results and do not accept failure. It is the private sector, after all. • CR Adjustment: CR-1 due to the additional funding. Faceless The PCs do not know who the faceless employer is. This is not the case of working through a proxy, the employer goes to great lengths to keep their identity and nature hidden. Choose a different employer to determine who is behind the mask, but do not apply any of the modifiers to the mission. This employer will only meet over the Global DataNet or through hyperobject personas. • Special Rules: The faceless employer plays it close to the vest, and that means considering all information to be on a need to know basis. This mission should have two or more complications due to the lack of intell going in. • Considerations: As per the hidden employer. • CR Adjustment: None, the extra complications should prove interesting enough. Fixer A fixer makes things happen for their client, and in this case that means the party is being hired to perform the mission. Fixers tend to be very hands on; they have a client on their backs and will pass the stress on down the ladder to the PCs. The good thing about working for a fixer is that if you do well they will be looking to hire you on again, and likely at a higher rate. • Special Rules: Choose another employer, this is the fixer's client. Naturally the fixer will not reveal this name. The fixer needs to keep the client happy and will want regular progress reports. Also, the fixer is a person who knows where to get information and gear and will happily use their connections to help the party. Any rare, illegal, or specialized gear can be found through the fixer, and at a 10% discount as well. Likewise, the fixer has looked into the job ahead of time, and there will not be any complications. Finally, if the party has completed at least three successful missions for the fixer, their base pay increases by +5% for every three successful missions they have completed for this fixer. • Considerations: As per the fixer's client. • CR Adjustment: CR-1 due to the fixer's aid. Friend/ Family The employer is someone close to one or more of the PCs. This person is in a bind and needs help. Whereas other employers are generally motivated by power or money, the loved one is usually looking to be saved from some terrible fate, protected from powerful foes, or otherwise more in need than in the depths of greed. This sort of job has little in the way of material award, but a lot in the way of good will. Pull those heartstrings, GMs. • Special Rules: Pay will be either non-existent or 10% of base payout. Usually there are not any complications, but sometimes loved ones have bigger issues than they let be seen. • Considerations: Not only will the mission have to be successful, but also the family or friend needs to be protected. • CR Adjustment: None Government Governments may have lost a lot of power to the corporations but they are more than willing to use the power they have left to push through their agendas. Working for a government is a particularly shady thing, they often have laws against the sorts of things that they hire freelancers to do. Less scrupulous government agents might cut their ronin loose if things go poorly, but smart ones know the best way to cover things up is from inside. A team of freelancers who no longer show up in the records, who can just disappear into the underbelly of society, and who have no good reason to speak up or cause trouble draw less attention than bodies in the river. • Special Rules: Governments have deep pockets but the kind of work they are hiring ronin for comes from black bag funds, which are a lot more limited. Government jobs pay 10% less than the pay scale for their CR. The upswing is that a friend in the government can provide help further down the road. • Considerations: Working for the feds is not a good way to build street cred. Characters do not get any street cred for successful completing government jobs, but do take a penalty for failure. • CR Adjustment: none Syndicate Organized crime does pay, if it didn't than the criminals wouldn't do it. Being hired by a syndicate is a tricky proposition. They pay well and take good care of those who show talent and loyalty. On the flip side, they punish failure and betrayal with terrifying harshness. Without a doubt their jobs are going to be illegal and risky. Highly illegal and risky, if it was a run of the mill crime the syndicate would sends its own goons to do it. • Special Rules: The job is going to be high risk and blatantly illegal. The syndicate expects their ronin to perform, and perform well. All these factors are made up for with money increase the payout by 20% over base pay. • Considerations: Failure is not an option. If the party fails or double-crosses the syndicate they can expect rapid and overwhelming payback. • CR Adjustment: CR +1, the job is going to be obviously illegal in many ways, making law enforcement more likely to be aware of the potential for crime. This makes the whole affair more difficult as every action must be made as if under close scrutiny.